PLASMA NEAR THE HELIOSHEATH: OBSERVATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS
- Kavli Center for Astrophysics and Space Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)
Voyager 2 (V2) has observed heliosheath plasma since 2007 August. The plasma flux decreases by 25% before the termination shock (TS), then, as V2 moved into the heliosheath, the plasma density, temperature, and flux all decreased by an additional factor of 2. We suggest three effects combine to cause these decreases. (1) V2 moved into the lower-flux transition region between the low- and high-speed solar wind. This hypothesis is consistent with Ulysses observations of the transition location, explains the 25% decrease in solar wind flux observed before the TS crossing, and can reconcile discrepancies between the V2 and Voyager 1 heliosheath speeds and between the V2 speeds and model results. (2) The weaker source at the Sun. (3) The heliosheath plasma turning and flowing toward the heliotail.
- OSTI ID:
- 21305122
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 711, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/711/1/L44; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Plasma Near the Termination Shock and in the Heliosheath
Plasma flows in the heliosheath along the Voyager 1 and 2 trajectories due to effects of the 11 yr solar cycle